2015 Northeast Conference (NEC) Tournament Headquarters
West Windsor, NJ- The Wagner men's tennis team gears up for this weekend's Northeast Conference (NEC) Championship, which will be contested Friday, April 17 through Sunday, April 19 at the Mercer County Tennis Center in West Windsor, NJ.
Wagner was seeded fifth, the program's highest tournament position since being seeded fourth at the 2000 NEC Championship. Second-year head coach
Danny Kreyman and the Green & White will be looking to make their first NEC semifinal appearance since 2002.
After the program combined for just four wins over the last five seasons, coach Kreyman has led his squad to a 13-win season, which includes a 4-3 victory over #1 seed Bryant University.
"We have great momentum heading into the NEC Tournament," commented Kreyman. "Our goal all year has been to win the championship. Our doubles play has improved tremendously and the guys are heating up at the right moment."
Kreyman's squad took the conference by storm in the fall as the Green & White posted a 7-0 record, with victories over Holy Cross, Siena, La Salle and Fordham. The competition heated up for the young Seahawk group in the spring season, facing teams like St. John's, Temple and top-50 ranked, Penn State.
"Our strength of schedule was tougher this spring," said Kreyman. "Going to Penn State was a great learning experience for our young team. When you play stronger opponents, you can pick up things that they do well and implement them into your game and I believe we have done that."
Three-time NEC Rookie of the Week/Month selection
Michal Rolski (Kielczow, Poland/Oak Meadow [VT]) along with fellow classmates
Ryan Khan (Weston, FL/University School) and
Charlton Boyd (Shreveport, LA/Loyola College Prep) have been at the forefront of the program's turnaround season. Combined, the trio is 48-25 overall on the season while posting a 34-20 record in dual matches during the season.
Rolski won the "A" Flight singles tournament at the Quinnipiac University Invitational as he defeated three-time NEC Player of the Year, Arvis Berzins of Fairleigh Dickinson to kick start his season. Rolski posted an impressive eleven-match winning streak that started with a 6-3; 7-6 victory against La Salle's De'Sean Fennell back on September 26. Out of the #1 Flight position, Rolski holds a 10-5 record this season while boasting an overall mark of 17-8 (.680 winning percentage).
Khan has recorded 13 wins in his first season on Grymes Hill. Against NEC opponents, the Weston, FL native is 4-1 in those matches. Primarily settled in the #2 position, Khan brings a 7-4 record into this weekend's championship.
Boyd is tied for the third most overall wins in the circuit as the Shreveport, LA native is 18-8 on the season while netting a 13-6 record in dual matches. Like Khan, Boyd also holds a 4-1 mark against NEC opponents.
In addition to Rolski, Khan and Boyd, the Seahawks had a total of five players reach double-digit win totals this season as sophomore
Sam Flaxman (Avon, CT/Avon) along with freshman
Allen Wang (Clovis, CA/Buchanan) each have picked up their tenth victories in a 5-2 win over Rider.
"We are looking forward to a great weekend of tennis," concluded coach Kreyman.
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